How our choices define us
by Schlangenkind
Summary: When Hermione asked why Harry decided to hang out with Slytherins, why he started to like and even love them, she didn't expect an honest answer. Then again 'It just happened' didn't seem to be a very good answer. Marcus Flint/Harry.
1. Chapter 1

**Things You Should Know BEFORE Reading This Story: English isn't my native language! In fact this is my first try ever to write a story in English! So I'm bound to make spelling and grammar mistakes and for that I'm sorry! I also don't have a beta yet but if anyone has a bit free time to spare I would welcome the help! **

**Warnings: This story contains SLASH (malexmale main pairing). There might be a THREESOME but I haven't decided as of yet. There will also be NO Dumbledore-bashing. For everything else you have to wait, read and see. **

**Pairings: **light AdrianxHarry; main MarcusxHarry; _maybe MarcusxHarryxAdrian_

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**How our choices define us**

**by Schlangenkind**

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**Chapter 1 Jaded Joy**

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_The fluttering of a butterfly's wings can effect climate changes on the other side of the planet._

Paul Erlich

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Harry ran his fingers through his thick black hair and completely ignored the fact that he messed it up even more than it already was. A frustrated sigh escaped the thin lips and it expressed more than a thousand words could have said. Harry really hated being angry at his best friends. This was probably a consequence of growing up in a very aggressive environment but Harry secretly felt that it was more than just that.

Whenever he, Ron and Mione had a fallout it always ended pretty bad. Or worse. The last time they had argued it had been at the beginning of fourth year. Harry shuddered. It really wasn't fun to be an outcast in the whole school. Nope. Definitely not. It reminded him all to well of his times at the muggle primary school where his cousin Dudley Dursley had threatened all kids who even looked at Harry a bit too friendly.

Yawning Harry leaned against the window and stared blearily at the full packed platform nine and three-quarters. Normally the sight of worried mothers, scolding fathers and crying siblings filled him with bitter melancholy and a lost feeling only an orphan could truly understand. Today however his emotional and physical exhaustion made it hard to keep his eyes open, let alone observing happy families.

Him being tired was hardly surprising after all he spend the last three weeks convincing his friends, the Order and then his friends again that Hogwarts was save enough for him to return to school with them. Harry knew that it wouldn't be easy for him to go back and that the hostile atmosphere would likely escalate sometime along the year. It was inevitable in a school split into two opposing camps, especially now that the war came to a head. Harry was well aware of these facts.

He didn't need Moody pointing out that the school couldn't be save because Dumbledore was killed within the walls of Hogwarts. Hell, Harry had been there, standing right next to the professor as an unknown deatheater hit him with the deadly green light. He had seen it and still had nightmares of the headmasters broken body at the foot of the astronomy tower. He didn't need Ron to remind him daily that Draco bloody Malfoy somehow let a the deatheathers inside the walls. Or that slytherins weren't just kids but also their parents heirs.

Honestly Harry wasn't blind and he wasn't a child either. He knew that Hogwarts wouldn't be the same this year. But couldn't they see that it was even more important for him now to return? They couldn't give up the castle. _He_ couldn't give up his only home. Harry had to fight tooth and nail for even just sitting in this train because Shaklebut deemed the journey an unneccessairy risk. In the end though Harry was seventeen and officially an adult in the wizarding world. No matter what they tried the Order had to accept his decicion. They weren't happy and Harry for a second feared they would just lock him up but they didn't dare to risk loosing their savior.

Although the Order wasn't able to change Harry's mind they didn't miss an opportunity to emphasize their disapproval. It went so far that Harry refused to take part in any meeting or meal where anyone expect Hermione and the Weasleys were present. With Moody's increasing warnings and threats Harry's wariness of the more _extrem_ Order members grew. Logically he knew they were truly worried for his safety and thought him too young to really understand the seriousness of war. Everyone liked to forget that it was Harry who fought Voldemort and his little entourage five times already and lived to tell the tale. He nearly died at the end of every fucking school year, not ot forget that first Sirius and now Dumbledore were killed directly in front of him. Harry might not be a genius but even he was able to figure out that this conflict was more than simply dangerous.

And really Harry knew perfectly well that none of these men and women truly cared about his welfare. He was the Boy-who-lived. They needed him to do their job and save their sorry asses. Harry wasn't trying to be bitter, he was just speaking the truth. And he understood. He really did. Most of the order members didn't really know him. They wanted to protect themselves and their loved ones. That in itself wasn't wrong, it was human nature. But there was a small voice in Harry's mind that feared just what they would do to achieve their goal. Inside of the Order a small group led by Moody and Shaklebolt had formed. They were more radical and determined to end the war as soon as possibly and while Harry agreed with the sentiment he wasn't so sure about their methods. _The end justifies the means_ was their policy which didn't exactly sit well with Harry. Particularly since he wasn't following their advices like a lost puppy. Whilst they might not dare to force him against his will now these things could change pretty fast once the first victims of the war would have to be buried. This maybe irrational fear was the main reason for Harry's insistance to return to Hogwarts. Hiding in an unknown location where the Order was in complete control was something he would avoid on all costs.

Of course he hadn't told his friends about the real reason for his resistance though Hermione most likely suspected something. She wasn't labelled a genius for nothing after all. The problem was although they knew better than to dismiss his worries their fear of Voldemort surpassed their wariness of Moody. At the end of the day they still saw the Order as light and therefore as the lesser of two evils. Harry however ... Harry didn't know. He didn't thought about it as choosing one side over the other. He just didn't want to be a puppet. Boy-who-lived or not he was still a human being. And it annoyed him to no end that he always had to remined people of this little fact.

Anyway Hermione and Ron were still angry at him for risking his life (he refrained from mentioning that he always risked his life one way or another) and not staying at the headquarters but they would come around eventually. At least Harry hoped so. But for now he planed to just enjoy the quietness and get some sleep since he hadn't dared to close an eye last evening, afraid of where he would wake up should the order decide to use drastic messures to ensure they could _protect_ him.

Despite his heavy thoughts and worries Harry drifted off to sleep fairly easy.

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JJJJJ

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Adrian Pucey wasn't your normal everyday Slytherin. He didn't torment first years just for fun (that he never stopped his yearmates from doing it really was beside the point). He didn't spent his free time to try and take over the world (you don't live long if you try to steal the Dark Lords job after all). He really liked quidditch and played as a chaser in the Slytherin houseteam since his second year but no one had ever seen him commit a foul (Marcus always got angry when someone else took his victims down). And if you examined his wand you'd learn that he never in his whole life tried to use dark magic (of course it was absolutely unneccessairy to mention his other wand which was hidden in the depths of his trunk).

Even as a child Adrian had already shown that he was highly intelligent. His private tutors had never tired of praising him and at Hogwarts he had always been at the top of each class. Naturally Adrian knew exactly just how to charm people around him and he was a master at manipulating conversations in his favour yet he prefered to hide his abilities. Knowing Dumbledores deep seated mistrust regarding talented Slytherins Adrian had generally just kept his head down and avoided to be noticed. He never took part in the stupid or smart but always mean pranks of his friends so his records were as clean as the freshly polished silver of his mother.

Therefore it had come as a complete surprise for everyone who knew him when Adrian had failed his final year. But even the best of the best sometimes lost their heads when it came to the NEWTS so most didn't even bother to ask questions. His friends however knew that Adrian never lost his head but once he brought up _his_ name nobody dared to investigate further. Still, when perfect and composed Adrian failed his NEWTS for the second time at least his professors would probably have gotten suspicious. The death of Albus Dumbledore at the end of the year however left the new Headmistress Minerva McGonagall with a huge mess to clean up and Adrian successfully slipped into his third seventh year unnoticed. And with the upcoming war chances were high that those professors who would cause problems were too occupied otherwise to care why he was still at Hogwarts. Adrians lips twitched suspiciously as he tried to suppress a smug smile. It wasn't his fault that the flawless Light was so easily fooled now, was it?

With a practiced aura of superiority and condescendence Adrian undid a laughable simple locking charm and opened the door of _his_ compartment. Of course the compartment wasn't actually his although the Pucey's definitely had the money to buy themselves the whole train, let alone a compartment. Generally however such extreme means weren't necessary since most children were just too lazy to walk till the end of the train, especially since this side was considered Slytherin territory and the snakes were known for defending what was theirs with lethal viciousness.

Adrian also knew that none of his housemates would dare to sit in this particular compartment without an invitation. Many stories about what happened to a stupid second year who didn't knew his place circulated even nowadays among the younger years. So whoever had stolen _his_ compartment was probably an idiot Gryffindor or Hufflepuff child or a first year who didn't know the unspoken rules of Hogwarts. Well, Adrian thought with a dark smirk, he was absolutely delighted to teach the kid quite a few things though the pleasure would most likely be onesided.

It wasn't a first year, Adrian realised instantly. Still, his guess hadn't been completely wrong either. But even expecting a Gryffindor he certainly hadn't expected to encounter _the_ Gryffindor. _Harry fucking Potter_ was sitting in his compartment and he was _sleeping_. The idea alone was so abstruse that Adrian couldn't wrap his mind around it. Slowly, as if he was in a trance, Adrian closed the door and sat down across from Potter. Idly playing with his wand the Slytherin took his time to observe the Boy-who-lived. He was in no hurry after all.

The boy was pale and there were dark circles around his eyes. Clearly Potter had lost more than a good nights sleep and was trying to make up for it. Than again Adrian had heard rumors that Potter had been right beside Dumbledore when he was murdered and while the Dark Lord never confirmed the gossip he also never denied it. Absently he wondered what the murder of his mentor had done to the boys psyche. Then again Potters fate wasn't Adrians problem. Well, in a way it was, but he was on the other side in the war so in the end he was counting on Potters death. He frowned. It sounded strangely wrong to think like that while he was sitting here, looking at the boys peacefull face. How had this _kid_ for the lack of a better word defied the Dark Lord? He looked so small now, so vulnerable, so easily destroyed. Yet, at the same time he contemplated how many people had once shared his thoughts and were now in Azkaban because of it?

Gradually Adrian leaned against the back of his seat and allowed himself to relax. Obviously Potter would sleep for a while so he could as well use the time to reread his Ancient Runes book. It was practically the only subject which still held his interest even though he didn't learn anything he didn't already know there. But that wasn't surprising. He was repeating the year for the second time after all. While it was very boring to constantly do the same things it wasn't like he could complain about it. Nobody forced him to accept this mission and he knew from the very beginning what he was expected to do.

Adrian had already reached chapter nine by the time Potter finally decided to wake up. Even though his wand slid into his hand Adrian stayed calm and quietly finished the paragraph before looking up. „Finally done playing Sleeping Beauty, Potter?" he smirked. _This was going to be good_. Then, yawning the boy sleepily opened his eyes and fearlessly met Adrian's glance.

At that precise moment all carefully constructed plans of the Order of the Phoenix and the dark Lord Voldemort crumbled into dust. At that precise moment the remaining shadows of a destroyed prophecy shattered. At that precise moment a delicately planned out future full of death and savety broke to pieces leaving nothing but forgotten dreams and fading memories.

It was for the first but not for the last time that a proud, arrogant and confident Slytherin fell prey to the effect of the wide, innocent green eyes of one Harry Potter.

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Soo ... That's it. First english story, first chapter. What do you think? Should I continue?

What's going to happen to Harry now? Will he make up with Ron and Hermione? What is Adrians mission? What'll change because of their encounter?

Tell me what you think! Do you have any suggestions or ideas?

**R&R please! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Things You Should Know BEFORE Reading This Story: English isn't my native language! In fact this is my first try ever to write a story in English! So I'm bound to make spelling and grammar mistakes and for that I'm sorry! I also don't have a beta yet but if anyone has a bit free time to spare I would welcome the help! **

**Warnings: This story has SLASH (malexmale main pairing). There might be a THREESOME but I haven't decided as of yet. There will also be NO Dumbledore-bashing. For everything else you have to wait, read and see. **

**Pairings: **light AdrianxHarry; main MarcusxHarry; _maybe MarcusxHarryxAdrian_

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**How our choices define us**

**by Schlangenkind**

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******Chapter 2 Enchanted Eyes**

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_From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate. _

Socrates

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The moment Adrian locked eyes with Harry Potter he knew he was doomed. They were bright and clear and glowing. Shining like stars during a moonless night. Black lashes were hiding a never-dying fire fueled by pure determination and a strong will to live. It wasn't just gorgeous or breathtaking, not even ethereal. _So much more_. It was nothing that words could truly describe, much less express. Because no matter how much he tried, the human race had yet to invent the right words for the true beauty of an untouched soul, trapped behind the color of death.

Adrian hadn't met many people with eyes which could speak to you when words were lost and every sound destroyed the magic of the moment. Harry Potter possessed a set of those eyes. And while Adrian was many things - strong, intelligent, magically powerful and sly, just to name a few of his talents - he lost himself in the green seas just as easily as everyone else. There was no fight. It wasn't necessary. This was as natural as breathing and oh so enjoyable.

_Merlin, he was so dead. And to think that he hadn't even spoken with the boy yet_.

From the very beginning Adrian had been well aware of the risks he was taking. No mission of the Dark Lord was harmless, especially not when he used them to test his newer followers. But when his plans involved a certain Harry Potter even his most trusted servants continued to fail him. For nothing ever went right when it came to the Boy-who-lived. Adrian had known this and he still accepted his task. He was prepared for many outcomes and had carefully considered all the different actions and reactions the stupid Gryffindor could possible think of. But never ever had he expected that the reason for his failure would be ... _himself_.

Repressing a shudder Adrian found it hard to grasp what his subconsciousness already understood. It felt wrong to even think this way. All his life he had despised the weak. Those who didn't have the willpower to stand up for what they believed in. Those who succumbed to the allure of the dark arts. Those who let their fear stop them from achieving the greatness they were capable of. Snivelling, weak-minded idiots, the lot of them. _They_ were the truly worthless and it had absolutely nothing to do with their blood.

A delicate touch of a butterfly like quality pulled Adrian out of his thoughts. With a mixture of incredulity and fascination he stared at the hand which had so fearlessly rested on his arm. Slowly those thin fingers withdrew like they were afraid of moving too fast. They looked shockingly small and fragile as though this touch alone should have shattered them. _Strange_.

„Are you alright?" Potter asked softly. His eyes showed genuine concern and Adrian marvelled at how open and easily readable they were. Still, his displayed emotions didn't help him understanding the boy. Why was Potter worried about him in the first place? They didn't know each other and hadn't ever met outside the quidditch pitch. But surely the boy knew who he was? That he was a Slytherin? Potential death eater? Where was the boys self-preservation? Oh, right. Adrian suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. He was dealing with a _Gryffindor_.

„Why do you care?" Every respectable Slytherin was probably looking down on him now for asking bluntly instead of carefully manipulating Potter into telling him everything he wanted to know. But Adrian knew exactly what he was doing. Or at least that was what he told himself again and again. While consciously ignoring everything he had once been taught.

„Because you do." Although Adrian's tone had been anything but friendly Potter's voice was still soft and gentle. As though he was speaking to a frighten animal or something. Adrian didn't like it. But then neither did he like Potter. And of course he just had to meet the only Gryffindor who wasn't capable of answering clearly.

„What?" It was a stupid reaction, but Adrian couldn't help it. The boy was confusing him. Especially since he was smiling brightly and seemed completely at ease with the situation.

„Because you care" Potter repeated calmly. Somehow his voice wasn't sounding as though he was speaking with an extremely slow child. No. The boy was just friendly. Too friendly if you'd ask Adrian.

There was a moment of silence which they seemingly both weren't willing to break. Potter stared out of the window. Potter played with the sleeve of his robes. Potter leaned his head back. Potter smiled happily. And Adrian? Adrian was watching the boy like he was the fucking most interesting thing he had ever seen. Desperately wishing to distract himself from the _adorable_ way Potter scrunched his nose Adrian tried to think of something he could say.

„I don't care about you."

Great. Fan-fucking-tastic. Sounding like a stubborn child or worse, a _Gryffindor_, was exactly what he wanted. And again Potter smiled that strange smile. Adrian forced himself to not look away (honestly he couldn't let _Potter_ get the better of him!) and suddenly realised that the boy's smile wasn't really a happy one. It was strained, forced, sad. It was all those things and yet it seemed so genuine. Really strange.

„Maybe you don't" Potter agreed but for some reason this thought didn't seem to bother him. In fact his eyes started glowing as if this was the best thing he'd ever heard. Potter really was an idiot. „Maybe there are people who can imagine a world without Holy Potter." The boy's voice changed abruptly from gentle to cold and Adrian was left breathless at the pure contempt that filled Potters eyes. It felt like, for a very short moment, some kind of glamour was broken and it gave Adrian the chance for a quick glance at another Harry Potter. A Harry Potter that wasn't golden or holy. A Harry Potter that just _was_.

Potter blinked and everything turned back to normal. His eyes were wide and glassy again and his voice soft. „But caring about someone doesn't always go hand in hand with liking someone." It might have been his far-away tone or the returned innocence which remembered Adrian of a strange little Ravenclaw he had often seen around Potter. Maybe that was where the boy got his strange attitude from? For some reason this made Adrian furious. He felt as though Potter was playing with him and he didn't know the rules. But the way he looked so unassuming made it hard to doubt him. And that made Adrian even angrier. Potter wasn't just playing, he was _winning_. Whatever this whole conversation was about the boy seemed to read something in his words that he didn't know he even said. What had he given away? And why couldn't he seem to gain the upper hand in this unexpected battle? But before he could even think about cursing the boy, Potter rose from his seat and smiled the same strained, sincere smile again.

„I should probably go now. My friends will be worried." Was it a threat? A simple fact? A goodbye? Adrian wanted to scream in frustration. Nothing was making sense anymore. Yet he didn't stop the boy when he left the compartment. He didn't outwardly react in any way to the boy's words. Then the door closed softly behind Harry Potter and suddenly this strange spell which seemed to control him was broken.

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EEEE

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Harry felt dirty in a way he hadn't felt in a long while. He had behaved like an idiot and he knew it damn well, thank you very much. But after being unable to sleep this night and another argument with Shacklebolt Harry had broken his promise to Mrs Weasley the moment he had stepped on the platform nine and three-quarters. He just hadn't been in the mood to stay around Ron and 'Mione when they were angry with him anyway. So he had ,accidentally' lost them - for which he certainly would pay later on. Still, Harry didn't regret his decision. No matter how much he loved his friends, they were unbearable when they were worried. Especially when there was a real danger. They just couldn't understand what it meant to live with a blood-red target painted on one's back. Sure, they always supported him but there was no prophecy about them and an insane killer. They loved him unconditionally and for that Harry would always be thankful. But as much as they wanted and as hard as they tried, they just couldn't see Harry. Not without the Boy-who-lived. It wasn't really right, but it was war. And Harry couldn't help but wonder about their motivations sometimes. Maybe that made him a bad friend for putting such a strain on their relationship but there was really nothing any of them could do about it. Life wasn't fair and they all knew it.

It wasn't that big of a surprise that they hadn't searched for him or called the aurors. It didn't matter how angry Ron and 'Mione were with him, Harry had known that they would cover up his disappearance. Ron would yell and curse but in the end his threats were always empty. And 'Mione would know that he wanted to be alone. Just because they weren't happy with him at the moment didn't mean that their friendship didn't exist any longer. They had lived through too much to ever fully turn their backs on each other.

Nevertheless Harry decided there and then that it really wasn't necessary to tell them about his brief conversation with Adrian Pucey. Ron would freak out and yell something about slimy Slytherins who were trying to corrupt him and Hermione would make Pucey her new research project. While Harry freely admitted that he hadn't been very clever this afternoon he was far from stupid. Of course Adrian Pucey had a hidden agenda. If you scratched all the foul words which left Rons mouth regularly he was actually mostly right. It had nothing to do with prejudice and everything to do with common sense. Ron was quite good at reading people and analysing their behaviour. It was what made him such a fantastic strategist. But people just didn't gave him enough credit because he was just the saviours best friend and a Weasley. Sure, 'Mione would scold him for his biased opinion but her words would be hollow and meaningless, they all knew it. Then Harry would tell her that Ron might be right and she would shut up. Because no one bets against Harry. His instincts hadn't just saved his life more than once but they also hadn't been wrong. Ever.

But with the shock wearing of they would realise that he had deliberately stayed in a critical situation and hadn't called for help. Then they would want his head for acting irresponsible. Harry inwardly winced. Today was a bad day as it was, he really didn't want to give his friends any proof that he couldn't stay safe without the Order's help. Nope. It wouldn't ever get this far. Not if he had anything to say about it. All in all it was better for everyone if Ron and 'Mione never learned what had occurred in those few minutes that he shared with a strange Slytherin.

So Harry wasn't planning on telling his friends about Adrian Pucey but unfortunately it didn't stop him from thinking about the Slytherin. It had been a shock to wake up in front of a seventh year Slytherin who was two years older and more experienced. Not a perfect situation. But when had his life ever been perfect? He had forced himself to stay calm and glance straight into the older boy's eyes without backing down. That had been foolish since he couldn't be sure if Pucey was capable of legilimency. Moody should have taught him better, hell, Moody _had_ taught him better. But in that very moment it hadn't mattered. Nothing had mattered. And Harry didn't understand why, not even now.

When he realised that he was alone with a Slytherin Harry expected many things, being cursed or killed were just two out of thousands of possibilities, but nothing happened. They just ... well ... _talked_. In a way. It sounded wrong and silly, even in his own head. And he had behaved like a complete moron! And he didn't like it at all. ,_Caring about someone doesn't always go hand in hand with liking someone_'? _Honestly_? What was he thinking? Oh, right. He wasn't. Pucey probably thought he was a total lunatic. Harry tried but he couldn't fully suppress a mortified groan. Why did he even care what Pucey thought about him? They just met once! Besides Harry was relatively sure that one day they would meet in battle again. _Fighting for different masters_.

„Harry? Are you alright?" A gentle question startled Harry out of his thought. Blinking he took in his surroundings as though he had never seen them before. He was in a carriage. Had they really already reached Hogsmeade? And he hadn't even noticed? Well so much for ,_Constant Vigilance!_'.

„Harry?" Harry's head snapped around so fast that he felt dizzy and his neck started hurting.

„Neville?" No matter how much he tried, he couldn't keep his surprise completely out of his voice. Then again Neville probably already knew that he had been far, far away with his thoughts.

„Yeah. It's nice to see you by the way. Now that your back here." Neville didn't just talk about his drifting thoughts. He most likely knew about his arguments with the Order. Smart kid. Neville really was the most sensitive boy Harry knew. And he was clever too, just a bit shy. The best was that you didn't have to actually talk for him to understand you. He just did. And he always knew what to say to make you feel better. It was one of the reasons why they got on so well. Harry hated talking because it never changed anything. This was something that 'Mione struggled to fully understand. And Ron was just to damn curious to know when to shut up. Still, he wasn't as close to Neville as he could be. It was bad enough that Ron and 'Mione risked their life for their friendship. Harry didn't want the responsibility another friend would bring. Maybe Neville understood this. Or at least he never pushed.

„Well it's nice to see you too." His words sounded awkward even in his own ears. Harry cringed inwardly. He really should try not to space out all the time. Neville just smiled. He was used to this, Harry realised suddenly. And how could he not? After all Neville was together with Luna Lovegood. Harry loved the sweet girl to death but she was different. And her interesting behaviour seemed to rub off on him. He had first noticed it this summer when the Order was just too annoying. It made him realise why Luna never cared about being called Loony. The reactions to his nonsense were just too funny to stop. Oh well, there were worse things than resembling Luna. And maybe he could fault her for his idiotic behaviour to Adrian Pucey? For his own peace of mind? Harry nodded. That could work. He wouldn't have to hate and doubt himself and Luna wouldn't care either way. Perfect solution. Harry smiled.

„We're there." Neville wasn't trying to start a conversation and for that Harry was thankful. He smiled softly at the boy. It was just a warning. Because as soon as he left the carriage he would have to face his friends and the Order. Harry really appreciated it. Maybe a new friend was worth the risks? He would have to think about that.

„So. You're ready?" Neville already rose from his seat but he didn't open the door.

„I'll never be." His words were dripping with bitterness but Neville didn't comment on it. Instead he opened the door with a sad smile.

Harry hadn't even fully stepped out of the carriage when Ron and 'Mione already flanked him. He lost Neville in the crowd of students around him. For a second he saw a familiar head with short brown hair and a green and silver tie but within all those people it was impossible to tell which Slytherin it actually was. He was definitely paranoid. Although the walk to the castle's door was short the sheer number of students made it impossible to prevent some kind of mayhem. But even so Harry didn't barge into someone even once. The crowd seemed to unconsciously part for the Golden Trio and he heard his name being whispered more than once. Maybe the students couldn't believe that he actually returned to Hogwarts after everything that happened last year. Did they really expect him to run away? After all those near death experiences? Well, it wasn't like he cared. It was long since time that they started to mind their own business or went straight to hell.

Sneaking a glance at Ron's hard eyes and 'Mione's stony face confirmed what Harry already knew. They were still angry. But they would present a united front and at the same time pretend in front of the Order that their ways never parted. He fought the urge to smile. It was nice to be able to rely on his friends even though they were fighting.

Of course his happiness was short-lived, because the minute he stepped into the castle he felt it. The heavy weight of too many expecting glances. There, on the teacher's table, sat at least seven Order members and Harry would bet his firebolt that there were some aurors stationed in every corner of the Great Hall. Stupid Moody and his paranoia. He had been unbearable since the Ministry forbade checking the students for the dark mark. Moody probably wouldn't care about the consequences but the other Order members feared to antagonize the public. This could mean losing their control over Hogwarts and even Moody had to admit that this wasn't a risk that should be taken lightly. However it didn't stop him from organizing a bunch of volunteers who _kindly_ sacrificed their free time to supervise the precious saviour. For some reason these people seemed to expect Harry to thank them which was truly laughable. Honestly, he survived for seventeen years on his own why should he drop dead now?

Harry resolutely squashed his frustration with the Order and the whole situation. It were these feelings and not Luna which were responsible for his brief talk with Adrian Pucey and he knew that very well. He didn't believe even for a second that Pucey was harmless or misunderstood because the Slytherin was neither of those things. Harry didn't act out of the childish urge to get revenge on Ron and 'Mione either. No, he just wanted to prove the Order, _to_ _prove_ _himself_, that he could take care of himself. That it wasn't life-threatening to be in the mere presence of a Slytherin. He needed that. Okay, so maybe that _was_ stupid and childish and unnecessary but that truly wasn't the point. The point was that breaking the rules of the Order gave him a feeling of freedom he had long since forgotten. And until his meeting with Adrian Pucey Harry hadn't realised how much he truly missed being independent. Being free.

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EEEE

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Adrian had never hated another human being. He feared the Dark Lord. He despised Albus Dumbledore. He looked down on muggles. The boldness most Gryffindors displayed disgusted him. But no matter who, when or how, Adrian never actually hated anyone. In his opinion hate was more of a waste of precious time and energy. It was such an intense, exhausting feeling and most of the time people weren't worth the effort. But there was always an exception to the rule now, wasn't there?

Sitting in the Great Hall and staring at his untouched meal, Adrian silently repeated his short conversation with Potter over and over again. Trying to analyse his mistake. Attempting to understand what had gone wrong. Somehow between watching the boy sleep and looking into his remarkable eyes Adrian had stopped seeing the Boy-who-lived. He couldn't comprehend how it happened because it was so unlike him. But something in the boy's obvious weakness, yet strength had called to him. Potter's innocence was enchanting. Fascinating. Adrian had never seen something like this before. In the world he came from these kind of purity was unheard of. Yet within mere seconds the boy's eyes had changed from sweet to cold. There was something else inside the saviour. A mask maybe, or just another part of his personality. This darkness had been just as thrilling, just as charming.

And Adrian hated it. He hated it with a passion he hadn't even known he possessed. He hated the way the boy smiled sad, yet happy. He hated the way his eyes turned hard and his voice sharp. He hated his inability to stop sneaking glances at the Gryffindor's table. He hated how everything the boy had called to him and made him feel things he didn't understand. It wasn't a nice feeling. It was wrong. Forced. Unnatural.

Harry Potter wasn't a saviour. He was the ban of his existence. He was a demon with the eyes of an angel. And Adrian hated this devil because as long as the boy still breathed he was a sign for Adrian's own failure. For his weakness.

Oh, Adrian still felt the pull. There was no denying it. But it was this call, this spell, this curse that made Adrian realise that he had waited long enough. Play time was over. Potter needed to die before this strange allure could get too powerful. Failure was no longer an option.

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First of all, I'm sorry for the long wait! It's just that I'm really busy at the moment and I need a lot of time to write in English, so my updates will be quite sporadic. But I wanted to thank everyone who has written a review!

So, what do you think of this chapter? Are Adrian's and Harry's positions understandable? Are there some irregularities? What will happen next? Any ideas?

Please let me know your opinion, especially if I make some huge plot mistake or something!

Anyway, thanks for reading my story! I wish you a great sunday and a good start into the week!

**R&R please!**

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**Review Answers:**

** YogurtLuver12:** Thank you! I'll do my best!

** Erdbeertorte: **Thanks! Please don't hesitate to tell me when my characters start acting out of character/illogical! Because for me it's really important that the characters always have an understandable reason for their behaviour! And I don't plan to stop writing, so no worries there :D

** redstickbonbon: **Yeah, I needed to play a bit with Adrian to get him into 7th year with Harry ... Oh well, it worked. ;) Marcus won't make an appearance for a while but you're right, he won't be student(obviously). I haven't decided as of yet if Harry and his friends truly break apart and what's going to happen with their friendship. While you're right and Harry won't put up with controlling freaks I don't think that this will completely destroy their bond. But we'll see.

** Keegansgirl: **Thank you! I really try but there's only so much you can do with spelling-check-programmes...

** QLGingerBlade:** Some of your ideas really have merit although not all fit into my plot. One thing that you seem to have misunderstood is that Adrian isn't really dumb. He's just playing it for whatever reason. Of course for exact this reason a study group would be very possible ... I need to think about it. Thanks for your suggestions!

** christinaemerald:** I promise I'll continue this story. It just might take some time!

** picabone99:** I absolutely agree with you! There are just not enough stories with Marcus/Harry out there! Even though it's such a great pairing ... Oh well. I'll do my best to make this story worth reading!

** Angel4EverLostInLife:** And here it is^^

** Definitely: **If you're reading this then you're really checking for updates ;P I'm happy you like it!

** autumngold: **Well I can't really answer your questions without revealing too much ... But as you can probably see in this chapter the relationship between Adrian and Harry isn't going to be too easy. What fun would that be?

** Ajaa:** Thanks! I hope the second one didn't change your mind :)

** Elfin69: **Thank you! Unfortunately you'll have to wait a bit until Adrian and Harry really get together. Or maybe not^^ I'm still not so sure about that...

** Guest: **Well I hope you like the future chapters!

** mary: **I might take long to update sometimes but I really plan on finishing this story. So no worries there!

** yngoldfogee: **Thank you! I hope I hear from you again ;D

** hiyapapaya:** I'm sorry for the long wait but here's the update. I hope you liked it!

** the red panda alchemist: **Yeah, I haven't read this pairing before and I thought it could be interesting! But we'll see. I hope you'll like the direction the story's going to take. All my love for my favorite first reviewer ;-)


	3. Chapter 3

I'm sorry for the long wait! And for all the mistakes you'll possibly find too. But as long as I don't announce that a story is abandoned I'm probably just being lazy and need my ass kicked ... Oh well. Thanks for all the reviews! Hopefully I'll answer them in time but right now I really don't have the patience for it. Still, I read every single one and enjoyed them, just so you know.

**But back to business:**

**Warnings for the story: **This story has SLASH (malexmale main pairing). There might be a THREESOME but I haven't decided as of yet. There will also be NO Dumbledore-bashing. For everything else you have to wait, read and see.

**Pairings: **light AdrianxHarry; main MarcusxHarry; _maybe MarcusxHarryxAdrian_

**Warnings for this chapter:**_ S_wearing and light slash

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**How our choices define us**

**by Schlangenkind**

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**Chapter 3 Invisible Ire**

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_Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer._

_Jean de la Fontaine_

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As soon as Harry had set a foot into the Gryffindor common room Ron roughly grabbed his hand and dragged him upstairs into their dorm. 'Mione followed hot on his heels, not caring that girls weren't normally allowed in the boy rooms. They were the fucking golden trio. They could do whatever the hell they wanted. The door fell shut behind them and 'Mione immediately whipped her wand out and muttered some silencing and protection spells. Harry tried hard but he couldn't completely suppress a soft smile. The three of them worked good together. They always did. Thanks to all the extra training they received from the order but also to the secret study sessions during their second, third and forth year there was no student at Hogwarts who honestly could compete with them if they didn't want them too. And people always thought it was sheer, dumb luck that let them survive their constant encounters with Snakeface and his groupies. Idiots, the lot of them.

Of course Harry wasn't as ecstatic about his friends skills when they exploited them to kidnap him but he had gotten used to it eventually. Besides he understood their urge to get new information as fast as possible. It was the only way for them to insure his safety. If Molly could hear him right now she would probably chastise him and say something the likes of ,_Please Harry, let us worry about your safety. It is our job, not yours. You just go and enjoy school and stay out of trouble!_' Ron and 'Mione themselves had been subjected to that particular speech at least a thousand times. It was one of these moments were they were in complete agreement regarding the adults in their life: Screw them. They knew better than to wait for anyone to rescue them. Such an attitude would have gotten them killed years ago. No, although his friends didn't view the Order as a threat they had all learned the hard way that at the end of the day they couldn't trust anyone but each other.

In the eyes of Ron and Hermione the Order, Dumbledore, the professors and the Dursleys all had one thing in common: they failed Harry. One way or another. It didn't mean that they hated them. The trio was aware of the fact that most of them (even Snape) never acted out of cruelty or malice. They simply did what they thought was for the best, disregarding the opinions of what in their eyes were only children. But what do they say? _The road to hell is paved with good intentions_. Every adult in their life had proven himself somehow unreliable. And because Ron and 'Mione loved Harry they decided to take matters into their own hand.

The public saw a young hero with magical power, incredible luck and two good, little friends at his side. They were so blind it wasn't even funny. When the trio started this masquerade Harry had been convinced that they wouldn't last a week. But 'Mione had warned him that humans only saw what they wanted to see and as always she had been right. It had been during his second year when they decided to build a façade for the prying eyes of the student body. A mask that would put Salazar Slytherin to shame. Of course the satisfaction of beating the Slytherins in their own game after one of their beloved confrontations with Malfoy and his servants had nothing to do with their motivations of playing. _Of course not_.

And they succeeded. Of course they did. The three of them together were invincible. Ron had a brilliant mind and was raised in the magical world. He was their strategist and was familiar with traditions and "common knowledge" that couldn't be found in books. Hermione's intelligence was never once questioned and other students often sought out her help. She provided the boys with recourses, information and connections in the other houses. Harry had an excellent self-control and knew how to mask his feelings. He was their manipulator and taught them how to keep control of their emotions and their magic. Ron always seemed to be so stupid that people led their guard down around him. Especially when he had one of his legendary "fights" with the saviour again. Hermione kept them in contact with the muggle world and was also part of the extremely close-knitted group of other muggleborns. Harry knew the school grounds better than even the teachers and was quick to think on his feet. They all were magically powerful, intelligent and talented. Their training had ensured that their skills were on a level nobody else their age had reached in quite some time. Standing alone every single one of them was a force to be reckoned with but _together._ Together they were terrifying. When they fought a battle they were so in tune with each other it was as though they read each others thoughts.

Harry knew he was extraordinary as were his friends. And with the return of Voldemort's ghost in their first year came the realisation that they could _never ever_ let anyone see just how powerful they actually were. Not when the situation was as dangerous as it was. Most hadn't understood it back then but the Golden Trio had known years before it actually happened that the beginning of the next war was only a matter of time. So they hid their true abilities and created the very same masks they saw on the faces of their enemies. It just weren't stoic masks. Ron was a close-minded guy with less than average strength and a short temper. Hermione represented the typical mudblood with a strong thirst to prove herself, an incredible sharp mind and lacking social skills. Harry was the magical powerful poster child with an easily readable face and a tendency to run straight into danger.

They needed to show weakness and play the role of normal teenagers even though they were anything but. And they did a damn good job. Not even Dumbledore knew the true extend of their little game although Harry was sure that the old man had known more than everyone else. Over the years Harry and Ron had gotten so good at playing dumb that they didn't even show their skills in their personal Order training. They had agreed that once someone knew their secrets it was only a matter of time until it would spread around like a wildfire. They didn't need this attention and it was important to always have something in the back of your sleeve. So they continued their game. It was exhausting but satisfying at the same time. After all they were "just kids" and still managed to deceive the whole magical world.

It was pathetic, honestly. And felt bloody fantastic.

Of course they had made mistakes they were still human after all. Like when Harry managed the Patronus spell at the age of thirteen. He had been lucky that it was such a light spell and everyone thought he succeeded due to the _motivating_ presence of dementors at Hogwarts. Or when he let is guard down for one second and crucio'd Bellatrix. Thankfully there hadn't been any witnesses and Harry had quickly weakened the spell but it had been close. Ron and 'Mione slipped up over the years too but luckily they weren't completely alone. While the trio trusted nobody lots of people trusted them or just wanted to help them for one reason or another.

Their most important and useful ally was Dobby. The house elf was loyal to a fault and could provide them with nearly everything. Food, rooms and books were really just the basics. No, Dobby could do so much more because even the most vigilant man underestimated him. Dobby was their spy both inside Hogwarts and outside. He still had access to Malfoy Manor as well as all those places where any of them had ever been and nobody noticed a house elf if it didn't want to be noticed. The blessing of their strange working magic. The whole episode with Kreacher had shaken Harry's faith in Dobby a bit but the elf worshipped him - and had sworn a magical oath. More like begged Harry to let him make the oath but oh well. They couldn't take a pass on such a valuable supporter anyway.

Then there was Neville. Sweet, innocent, shy Neville. If Harry had been surprised that they had gotten away with their act he was absolutely flabbergasted that everyone ate the ,I'm-just-the-poor-spineless-orpan'-show right up without ever questioning it. Even with his success in the DA during their fifth year no one took Neville serious. Which was exactly what the boy wanted. Harry wasn't sure if Neville was his friend per se. They didn't really know each other well enough to be friends. It was more of a mutual acceptance of the roles they played. They understood and supported the other but they weren't exactly friends. Frankly, Harry would never let it come this far no matter how much he liked Neville and how much he wanted to trust him. Being the friend of the chosen one was dangerous nowadays and it was bad enough to fear for Ron's and Hermione's life.

Harry sighed. He had other allies, all over the houses in fact. A serious threat like Voldemort unified like nothing else. The death of Cedric and later Sirius and Dumbledore however was a harsh reminder of the danger lying in the connection to the Boy-Who-Lived. Then there were those who didn't trust the Order. So most of his "spies" as Ron liked to call them only met with him secretly if they met at all. It was saddening how much of a battle ground the Merlin damned school had become.

A hard shove against his chest brought Harry back into the present. Rather violently.

He blinked.

Hermione was standing in front of him. Her hands raised like she wanted to strike him. He had probably neglected to answer her questions since he hadn't listened to her ramblings in the first place. Spacing out was a life-threatening habit when surrounded by impatient friends with no qualms to _convince_ him to pay attention. But it wasn't his only life-threatening habit so Harry wasn't too worried.

"What?" A truly brilliant response. At least 'Mione knew he was listening now so there was no reason to hit him. He hoped.

"Really Harry, would it kill you to listen to me once in a while? I want to know where you were." Hermione's annoyance was obvious in the deep tone of her voice but her face remained stoic. They liked to practice their masks when they were emotional to improve their control. That and old habits died hard.

"_Now_, Harry."

Ron tapped the ground with his feet, clearly forcing himself not to move. People had learned the hard way (aka Malfoy and The Slap) that an angry Hermione was not to be trifled with. But they had never actually seen the youngest Weasley boy furious. Annoyed, yes. Unhappy, sure. But not angry. And Harry was glad because they would definitely have lost their perfect Gryffindor appearance over that. Although his friends swore that the one time Harry seriously flipped their blood turned ice-cold and their hearts stopped beating. Hermione had told him it were his eyes. They glowed as brightly as the Avada Kedavra and the fire inside them was fuelled by pure darkness. The ministry would most likely send him to Azkaban the first time he lost his shit in front of witnesses.

Still no matter his true abilities Harry so didn't want to aggravate Ron any further. Best friends or not he trusted his friend with his life not with his safety or sanity. He was more like the twins than anyone realised.

"I searched for an empty compartment." There. That should satisfy them.

Well, it would satisfy them if they were the ignorant Gryffindors they portrayed for the rest of the world. Ron snorted disdainfully.

"From your phrasing I take it you didn't find one?"

A really small part of Harry was annoyed that he seemed unable to keep anything secret from his friends. It made him vulnerable. But the bigger part was glad they knew him so well. That he had friends whom he could trust unconditionally without ever being let down.

"No, I didn't." Harry resigned. No use in denying the obvious. Right? Still, he couldn't tell them the true. Hermione would kill him. Scratch that Ron would murder Pucey and then kill Harry. But he couldn't lie either. His friends waited for him to continue but he didn't.

"Harry?" Hermiones voice was softer now.

Harry lifted his head, his wide eyes begging for understanding. "Don't." It wasn't a command but it was much more effective. Ron and Mione froze at the low tone and then nodded in unison. They weren't happy. Far from it, actually. But for now they would watch and wait for Harry to slip up. He always did eventually.

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**IIIII**

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Harry was doing it again. Walking through the empty hallways long after curfew. He was never more thankful for his father's invisible cloak than now. His friends hadn't bothered him anymore after he asked them. Or at the very least they weren't as obvious about it anymore. That didn't stop the lingering gazes and silent conversations in between them. And Harry knew his friends well enough to see the raging ire they hid behind their goody-two-shoes-masks. They were still angry with him. Especially once they realised he had disappeared again.

But Harry had been unable to let the opportunity pass. After all the stress with the Order in the last couple of weeks he really enjoyed the quiet of the sleeping castle. It was so peaceful. So silent. You could nearly forget the war looming outside these thick stone walls. _Nearly_ unfortunately being the key word.

Still, these lonely night walks were one of the few things keeping Harry sane. He needed this time for himself more than any training the aurors could offer. Otherwise he would probably go on a killing spree. And VoldyMoldy so wasn't at the top of his hit list at the moment.

Wearily Harry stared out of one of the many windows. It was a clear night. Pale moonlight caressing every surface as soft as a mothers welcoming touch and thousands of stars lightening up the sky like a wild spread fire. The pale, foreign beauty wasn't lost on the young Gryffindor. Harry had learned at a very young age to embrace the darkness instead of fearing her. Nightfall implied a sense of protection even the sun couldn't compare with. A soundless sigh escaped rosy lips. It was always the night which brought along painful reminders of a time long since passed. Scattered pictures of a broken light bulb and a much too small cupboard fluttered annoyingly through the child's mind. Bright green eyes dimmed for a moment as he seemed to age several years.

Even as Harry lost himself in faded memories and unfinished thoughts a tiny part of his consciousness knew with a deep sense of certainty that he would pay for his absence of mind. _Soon_.

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**IIIII**

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If asked later Adrian would have been unable to explain why exactly he left the Slytherin common room and started walking through the halls in the direction of the school library two hours after curfew. Fact was - though the seventh year would never admit it - he had no fucking idea. But there was a rather small part of him that knew that was absolutely certain of the boy heros current location. It was the very same part that longed to see the boy, to be near him, to ... Actually, Adrian wasn't even sure what he wanted to do once he found him. But his instincts had never let him astray before so he followed them (with a certain amount of distrust, he was after all a Slytherin).

That was how he found himself on the fourth floor. Adrian scanned his surroundings carefully but came up empty. Yet he didn't doubt for one second that bloody Potter was near. It took another three minutes before he saw him. Or the boy's shadow to be more precise. Adrian frowned. Of course he had heard rumors about Potters supposed ability to make himself invisible. Until this moment however he had thought they were just that - rumors. Seemed like there was more to the boy than he liked to believe.

Well, it didn't matter. Harry Potter would be dead in a matter of seconds so who cared?

With a vicious smile Adrian lifted his wand. A whispered word. A flash of red light. The hero of the wizarding world sunk silently to the ground.

Nobody was there to witness a young man's fall from grace. And fall he did.

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**IIIII**

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_Ron is going to kill me_ was Harry's first conscious thought as he opened his eyes. Blinking he fought against the haze that clouded his mind for a few moments before the strange urge to sink back into the comforting blackness disappeared altogether. He was in one of Hogwarts abandoned class rooms. Considering that there existed hundreds of these rooms his realisation wasn't really helpful but it was a start. And at least he hadn't woken up in Voldemort's dungeons. Or, Merlin forbid, next to Gilderoy Lockhart. The mere thought was enough to give him nightmares for days.

Ron hated it when Harry let his guard down. Even when he was alone with his most trusted friends the Weasley constantly tested his awareness. All those curses and hexes for nothing. The redhead was going to flip. After he had taken care of Harry's attacker. Because the two parts of the Golden Trio never let a threat to their youngest member live. It was actually a miracle they weren't mass murderers. _Yet_, a bitter voice whispered but Harry immediately buried those darker thoughts deep inside his mind. No one needed to know just how close they had often come to committing an unforgivable crime. Quirrel, Harry had finished the guy off himself but Sirius had been really lucky that Lupin interrupted them. Snape too. On more than one occasion. And the false Alastor Moody ... let's just say all the research about memory charms after their disastrous second year really had come in handy.

It was then that Harry noticed a movement out of the corner of his eyes. He turned around (well, he tried to but the only thing he could actually move was his head) and came face to face with a familiar Slytherin.

"Pucey?" He asked honestly surprised. The older boy had more than enough time to kidnap him on the train. Why attack him now, inside of Hogwarts' famous wards no less?

The Slytherin didn't say a word. He just stared at him with unnerving, blue eyes. And just like the last time Harry couldn't look away. It wasn't like looking Snape into the eyes, where you felt like you were falling into an endless tunnel. But something in those bright orbs captured and held his attention. Warmth spread through his veins as though he had a light fever. Harry shivered.

Pucey flicked his wand. Invisible chains that had held him down suddenly disappeared and Harry hastily stood up. He didn't run however. He just stood there. Staring at his fellow student. Caught in the expressionless eyes, so unlike his own.

"Potter." Puceys voice was soft but menacing. In fact it was positively deadly. The Slytherins eyes swept up and down, scrutinizing every part of Harry's body.

"Just look at you" he continued. His face was empty of any emotion.

Harry wasn't sure what happened next. One moment he was standing motionless across from the older one and the next moment he found himself pressed against the cool stone walls of the castle. In that instance Pucey's normally stoic mask was gone. His eyes were now gleaming, reminding Harry uncomfortable of Snape the night he captured Sirius. The pure, undisguised hate in the boy's expression was startling and more than a bit disturbing.

"As sweet as the devil himself." A hand caressed his cheek absentmindedly. "And just as cursed."

Harry opened his mouth but there was nothing to say. His mind had gone completely blank. He could do nothing but stare at the Slytherin. Disgust, revulsion, loathing ... Never before had he seen so many negative emotions mixed in one gaze. All directed at him. Not even Snape had made him felt this worthless. Pucey was silent. His emotions seemed so intense he was unable to express them in proper words. His facial expressions however were all too telling.

Harry felt the tip of a hard wand pressed against his throat. And he would have to be blind to not recognise the contempt in every damn move of his captor. Raw magic filled the air. The tension was so thick not even a diamond could have cut it.

A strange mixture of anticipation and dread formed a tight knot somewhere near Harry's stomach. His gaze was still locked in the eyes of his captor, neither of them able to break the spell that seemed to take control of them suddenly. Shadows flared to life in Pucey's deep blue eyes and then there was something else, something entirely new. It was darker, more sinister and for a second or two Harry felt a sharp pain in his forehead. But he still saw it. He saw the precise moment when Adrian Pucey broke.

There was no telling who started it or who was more stunned about this new development. There was no thinking involved and certainly no feelings. One moment they were staring at each other, Gryffindor vs Slytherin, two enemies, shaking with suppressed fear and rage and magic.

Then they were kissing.

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Like it? Hate it? Love it? Any complains? Suggestions? I had real trouble with this chapter and I'm sorry if it doesn't live up to your expectations. But if you can do it better, be my guest! There really should be more storys with Harry/Marcus or Harry/Adrian!

**R&R please!**

Love Schlangenkind


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